Canopy for gasoline dispensing pumps



April 3 1951 J. F, WELLEN 2,547,896

CANOPY FOR GASOLINE DISPENSING PUMPS Filed 001;. 3l, 1949 INVENTo.

Patented Apr. 3, 1951 CANOPY FOR GASOLINE DISPENSING PUMPS James F. Wellen, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of onehalf to Paschal P. Cafardi, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application October 31, 1949, Serial N0. 124,650

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a protector or canopy and more particularly to a rotatable protector such as might be used at a gasoline lling station.

At gasoline filling stations, for example, it is necessary for the attendant, in most installations to go cut in the open to render services such as dispensing gasoline. When the weather is bad, as during a rainy day, an attendant in order to wait on the customers must put on and remove his protective garments many times resulting in a great deal of lost time and revenue. In addition to the loss of time there is danger of permitting water to enter the gasoline tank ofthe customers automobile. Even in View of these disadvantages it is generally undesirable to place the gasoline dispensing pumps inside a building due to the danger of re and explosion as well as the very material loss of the advertising value of the gasoline pumps. In addition it is prohibitively expensive under ordinary circumstances to erect a roof over such pumps.

This present invention provides a device which is relatively inexpensive and does not detract from the advertising or sales promoting eiect which open gasoline pumps, for example, haveon the driving public. This device is readily ad-Y justable to various positions, is safe and provides light, ventilation and protection where they are most needed.

In general, the device of this invention comprises a vertical standard which in the case of gasoline pumps may be mounted on the same island as the pumps. A supporting member is rotatably mounted in the top of the vertical standard so as to support a canopy offset from the line of the standard. Ventilating and lighting means are mounted in the canopy and actuated by circuit means passing through the supporting member and connected to an external source of power through rotary contact means.

Specifically, this invention provides an aluminum canopy having an electric fan mounted centrally of the interior to dissipate any fumes which might tend to collect in the interior thereof. A circular fluorescent light is mounted around the fan to provide light for improved working conditions. A combined guide arm and reinforcing member is provided between points on the supporting member to permit it being readily rotated. This supporting member is rotatable in anti-friction bearings in the top of the standard' and the electrical contacts are made through a pair of commutator rings mounted inthe end of the supporting member and contacting a pair of xed contacts in the top of the standard.

This invention will be more clearly understood, however, by referring to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an oblique projection of a gasoline filling station island mounting the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is a section through the journal between the standard and supporting member.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the end of the supporting member showing the contact or rings.

Figure l is a partial section through the central portion or" the canopy, and

Figure 5 is a schematic wiring diagram for the device.

In the drawings there is illustrated a gasoline illling station island lil with pumps I i and a vertical standard I2 mounted between the pumps. An enlarged hollow boss I3 is threaded on the end of the standard I2 and is adapted to receive a second boss Ill on the end of a supporting member I5. The boss I3 and second boss I4 are separated by anti-friction bearings IS which permit free rotation of one within the other. The supporting member I 5 extends upwardly from the boss I 4 to a substantially horizontal portion Il which terminates in an end I3 offset from the line of the standard I2. A light, non-inflammable canopy I9, preferably of aluminum, is suspended from the offset end I8. A combination guide arm and reinforcing member 2Q extends from a point on the supporting member I5 adjacent the boss I 4 to a point on the horizontal portion Il. An electric fan 2i is mounted in the central interior of the canopy I9 and is surrounded by a circular fluorescent light 22. Each of the fan 2| and light 22 is connected by a separate circuit 23 and 24 respectively to a pair of circular connectors or commutator rings 25 mounted in the boss I4. These rings 25 are in sliding Contact with a pair of fixed contacts 26 in the boss I3. The xed contacts 26 are connected to an external source of electrical energy (not shown) by a wire 21 extending through the standard l2. Switches 28 and 2S are provided in the fan and light circuits respectively and a switch 30 may be provided in line 21 between the xed contacts 26 and the external source of electrical energy.

The operation of this device is believed to be clearly apparent from the illustrations and is deemed to need no further explanation of its purpose and operation other than to say that it is freely rotatable to any position, causes ventilation and removal of explosive gases and provides clear light for the work which is to be performed.

It is obvious that this invention has many uses and has great utility in other fields than gasoline service stations where light, ventilation and protection are needed inexpensively and yet without detracting from appearances. Accordingly, while there is illustrated a prei erred embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A protector comprising a vertical standard, a supporting member journaled for rotation in the upper end of said standard, said supporting member having an oii"set portion terminating in an end off-set from the line of the vertical standard, a canopy supported on the off-set end of the supporting member, a reinforcing member exteding from a point on the supporting member adjacent the journal to the off-set portion of said supporting member, a fan mounted centrally of interior of the canopy, a light surrounding said fan, a pair of electrical circuits extending through the supporting member from the fan and the light to a rotary contact at the journal between the standard and supporting member, and means for interrupting each of said circuits.

2. A protector comprising a vertical standard, a curved supporting member having one end rotatably mounted in the top of the standard for rotation coaxially with the standard, said supporting member having a substantially horizontal portion terminating in an end off-set from the line of the vertical standard, a non-inflammable canopy supported on said off-set end, a reinforcing member extending from a point on the supporting member adjacent the rotatably mounted end to a point on the oli-set portion of said supporting member, an electric fan mounted centrally of the interior of the canopy, an electric light surrounding said fan, a pair of electrical circuits extending through the supporting member from each of the fan and light to a pair of rotary circular contactors fixed in the rotatably mounted end of the supporting member, a pair of iixed contacts mounted in the top of the standard in contact with said circular contactors and an external source of electrical energy and means for interrupting each of the pair of electrical circuits.

3. A protector comprising a vertical standard, a supporting member having a horizontally extending portion terminating in an end oli-set from the line of the vertical standard, said supporting member being journaled for rotation in antifriction bearings in the upper end of the vertical standard, a metal canopy suspended from the off-set end of the supporting member, a combined guide arm and reinforcing member extending from a point on the supporting member adjacent its journal in the standard to a point on the horizontally extending portion, electrical means for lighting and Ventilating the canopy, circuit means extending through the supporting member from said electrical means, rotary contactor means connecting the circuit means to a pair of xed contacts in the top of the standard and means for interrupting the circuit means.

4. A protector comprising a vertical standard, an enlarged hollow boss at the upper end of said standard. a supporting member having a substantially horizontally extending portion terminating in an end off-set from the line of the vertical standard, a boss on the end of said supporting member opposite the offset end adapted to be rotatably mounted in the hollow boss, antifriction bearings between the two said bosses, a canopy suspended from the ofi-set end of the supporting member, a guide arm and reinforcing member extending from a point on the supporting member adjacent the boss to a point on the horizontal portion, electrical means for lighting and Ventilating the canopy, circuit means extending through the supporting member from the electrical means to a pair of commutator rings in the boss on the end of the supporting member, a pair of fixed contacts mounted in the hollow boss on the standard in contact with the commutator rings and external source of electrical energy, and means for interrupting the circuits.

JAMIES F. VJELLEN.

No references cited. 

